Oh, that is one game I've been looking for -- on sale. I know I won't have time to play it much and -- given my anti-talent for games in general -- that I will never get too far with it, but my older boys rented it one time and gave me a look at it. I'll have to check the pricing and so on -- it's had time enough on the market to have come down into my price range.

Well I usually see a copy at Game Stop every time I am there and as it has been out for a few years it is very cheep, (you can probably pick up the gold addition with both expansions for 20 dollars or less.)

Also it is in my opinion very accessible, I am good at videogames but RTW was the first real time strategy game I ever played and I got right into it.

I however have to warn you that it requires a very good computer, it takes up a lot of memory and if your graphics processor isn't very good you might have game lag issues.

That said, I didn't have much a problem playing it with a used 200 dollar Dell computer.

I played a demo of the game once. I had a hard time grasping the controls though and everything moved so slowly.

Though I've heard a lot of good things about the game (a lot of praise because of the depth of it's combat system and strategies), it could'nt keep my attention. I like RTS games, but Total War was a bit too slow for my tastes.

But maybe I shouldn't draw conclusions from a demo. I'll be sure to pick up a copy if I find it cheaply, you've piqued my interest.

While on the subject of Roman videogames, you might want to check out this thread.

Funny this should come up; 'cause TRW is in the early stages of planning a Rome: Total War LAN party(!) for any interested players in the Austin/San Antonio area. Date and location to be announced. Version will be the highest one that all the players have in common; right now they're looking at plain-vanilla 1.5, no mods, no Barbarian Invasions. Depending on turnout and fun factor, they might make a habit out of it, hosting one every other month or so. And they just might send the winner(s) forth to do battle with more far-flung contestants (like y'all?) over the 'Net!

Legio XXIV (est'd. 1997)Period Covered: 1st century BC through 2nd century AD (AD 110)Region: Philadelphia, PA and mid-AtlanticPOC: George W. Metz (Gallio Velius Marsallas)Address: 130 Springton Lake Road/Media, PA 19063-1826Phone: 610-565-0528E-mail:gwmetz@aol.comURL: --Comments: Demonstrates Roman and other ancient military dress and history at faires, schools and other functions. Plans on becoming a "Military Through the Ages"-type production; thus welcomes Sumerians, Spartans, Macedonians, Greeks, Celts, and other ancients, as well as interested bystanders! Any reasonably accurate armour, weapons and dress are acceptable and encouraged. Does not do actual combat demos. Ladies and/or Civilians, Auxiliaries and Associates also welcome. = = = = =

My listing is sadly in need of an update, so I can't guarantee that the info is current. But TRW has (much) more recent links:Legio III Cyrenaica, First Cohort, First CenturySouthern New Englandhttp://www.legioiiicyrenaica.org

There are two basic strategies as a roman faction, expand the way the game expects you to, and use your mind to conquer more and faster than your rivals. Or you can mess with your neighbors by stealing their targets. Basically build three armies and beat your rivals eventually surrounding them in your faction.

The problem is realism, most factions are very week, and the Romans are far too strong, so except to overwhelm Carthage in 10 minutes as apposed to several years.

For me, my first faction was the Brutii, I sent most of my forces to Sicily and beat the scipii to taking Syracuse and Lilibelo, (and if you can Sardinia) If your really ambitions land in Africa and finish them off completely. send a minor force into Greece and take the weakly defended rebel settlement Salona, then move north and conquer all of Illyria and if you can Pativum which will be your gateway into northern Italy later in game. Then build up forces then ally yourself with Macedon and whipe out Greece, and Ionia. Then Macedon will betray you, so crush them, and make sure to deal with the barbarians, if you cant secure a flank just crush them, if you don't the Julli will. Then I would pull and Alexander and poor into what should be, (But never is) Persia, notice the army of Ramses the great marching several thousand years after his death.

And you may have guessed this is total insanity, pump out as may armies as you can, and as fast as you can, and blitz any non allied target in your path.

But it is fun, when you beat factions you unlock them, and when you win the game you automatically unlock all factions.

And don't get disappointed if the game is too Hollywood, because you can always use a mod, I started playing RTW With EB a year ago and I still haven't gotten tired of it.

I've lost entire nights playing this game, so I haven't taken it out in a while. I tried the Europa Barbarorum expansion, but didn't like it as much as the original. I'm hoping that this weekend I'll get a chance to try out the Rome Total Realism mod, though, and see how that is.

In the meantime, I've been wondering exactly how to root out the Gauls (I like to start as the Julii) as well as spending some time creating a Sims 2 version of Pompeii (though not entirely realistic).

I usually focus on their shoreline provinces, (that's were the money is.) When I wage a war, I always take the richest most developed settlements first, then when my enemy is broke, I focus on their towns and field armies.

The Gauls have a major weakness, lack of good line infantry, you can win with a line of hasti and a general.

Me, I usually blitz the Gauls early on and poor into Illyria Dacia and Greece as the Juili, (have to get the riches of the orient before the Bruti do!

Rome total realism is very good, but the axillaries are a tad too limited for me, mostly levies, no elites.

Plus I really like the new theme music and actual ancient language, ancient Greek, Latin, and Gaelic!

But don't get me wrong, RTR is worth it, I just played it to death. Same with vanilla, (I needed a new map and different units.)